Microsoft prepares eight versions of Windows Server 2008

When Microsoft unnecessarily complicated the Vista release with several different versions, critics pounded on the software giant saying they should follow the example set by Apple and its single release of OS X. And while that comparison is not completely fair since Windows is a more widespread Operating System, it's not hard to conclude that when you are the #1 software maker in the world, you can do so much better than complicating your partners and (inherently) your users by shipping seven different versions of essentially the same OS with just a few features turned on & off.

Unfortunately, a similar scheme is being prepared for the upcoming Windows Server 2008 release with a total of eight different editions that range from 2008 Standard Edition ($999), to Enterprise, Datacenter, Web Server, Itanium, and the list goes on.

Just yesterday we broke the news that the hypervisor feature on Windows Server 2008 would be built-in some versions of the OS while still being available as a standalone product for all others. Perhaps not as harmful as the multiple-edition Vista release was, I just have to hand it to critics again, and so should Microsoft, by being more proactive on listening what the community has got to say.